Identity Theft Up Due to COVID19/Coronavirus

Are we safe?I don't mean save from disease, I mean are we safe from having our identities stolen, personal records, banking information and the like stolen? Not really!

We have seen Coronavirus-related scams proliferating the landscape in recent weeks. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). And, as expected, some businesses have already been reprimanded for misleading claims around coronavirus treatments and cures. Snake Oil is out of control.

There are fake charities, phony products, phishing emails, I could go on, all trying to get us to share our personal information, better known as Identity Theft.

We hear, seems like, every day about another "data breach" of a large company, retailer, bank, whatever. Oops...out goes our personal info that if in the hands of the right people, could damage us big time.

The FTC said there was a 46 percent increase in identity theft reports from 2018 and 2019. Here in Michigan alone, there were over 13,000 identity theft reports just last year! Ouch!

Here is the FULL REPORT with all of the facts and figures.

Bottom line, never give out checking/savings account numbers, social security numbers unless you know who you are dealing with, and even then, verify, verify, verify!